Talking Points: Irish fans call for Meyer

By Columbian Staff

Published: October 27, 2011, 6:00 AM

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Southern Cal upset a Notre Dame team on Saturday that had more to play for than USC. The Irish, with two losses, had the prospect of a BCS bid out there if they kept winning, and they hadn’t beaten their longtime rival in South Bend in four straight tries.

Also of Pac-12 note: Not only did OSU’s romp drop Washington State to 3-4, it soured more Cougar fans on what’s to come. That means Nov. 12 and Nov. 19 home games against Arizona State and Utah — ostensible victory possibilities for WSU — will be poorly attended unless something unexpected happens against Oregon or Cal.

Finally, UCLA got ripped apart by Arizona in a game that included a brawl. The Bruins had six suspensions to the Wildcats’ four. UCLA will be without receivers Taylor Embree, Randall Carroll and Ricky Marvray for their game against Cal this week.

None of it’s good news for unlikeable coach Rick Neuheisel.

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This late into the baseball season and dealing with an assortment of aches and pains, you may think the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals would welcome an extra day of rest provided by Wednesday’s rain out of Game 6.

The Rangers’ Josh Hamilton, for example, is dealing with a strained left groin he thinks could be a sports hernia, and Texas manager Ron Washington thinks the postponement of Wednesday’s game could prove helpful.

“Any time you’re dealing with nagging injuries, any time you catch a break, it’s a positive,” Washington said. “How positive, I really don’t know.”

Texas second baseman Ian Kinsler wasn’t so sure.

“One day of rest is not going to cure anything,” he said. “There’s not going to be any miracles.”

That’s not what St. Louis manager Tony La Russa believes when he predicted his slumping and ailing outfielder Matt Holliday was ready for a breakout performance.

Holliday has been slowed this postseason by tendinitis in his right hand.

“I hesitate to say it because I hate to add pressure to a guy, but it’s very possible that in one of the next two games Matt could be our hitting hero,” La Russa said. “Every time he takes an at-bat he gets closer and he just needs not to force it.”